What is an Abstraction?

Philip J. Davis and William G. Chinn

Chapter 4 in 3.1416 And All That, 1985, pp 20-26 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract MATHEMATICIANS play many roles. They may be puzzle solvers, computers, logicians, theorem provers. They are also abstractors, and this is perhaps fundamental to their other roles. The famous English physicist Paul Dirac once said, “Mathematics is the tool specially suited for dealing with abstract concepts of any kind, and there is no limit to its power in this field.” Now, just what does the word abstract mean? The dictionary tells us: abstract adj. 1. Considered apart from any application to a particular object. 2. Ideal. 3. In art. Characterized by non-representational designs. 4. In math. Used without reference to a thing or things, as the abstract number 2.

Keywords: Theorem Prover; Incidence Matrix; Subway System; Metic Operation; Word Graph (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1985
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DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4615-8519-0_4

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